MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. — The U.S. Coast Guard and Mackinac Island first responders rescued a snowmobiler Sunday after he got stranded on broken ice about a mile off the Michigan island during blizzard conditions.
CBS Detroit reports The Mackinac Island Fire Department received a rescue call around 4:40pm. Firefighters and emergency medical crews responded and notified the U.S. Coast Guard as they worked to locate the stranded rider off the island’s west shore.
#News – @USCG Cutter Mackinaw rescued a snowmobile operator stranded on ice near #MackinacIsland, Michigan, March 15, 2026.
— USCG Great Lakes (@USCGGreatLakes) March 16, 2026
The person was brought aboard, received medical care, & is in stable condition. The snowmobile was also recovered by the cutter.#IceRescue #GreatLakes pic.twitter.com/W1xYKOZuZd
The snowmobiler had previously been advised not to venture onto the ice due to dangerous weather and deteriorating conditions. A blizzard warning remained in effect for the region through Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service in Gaylord.
Firefighters suited up in rescue gear and began traveling across the ice toward the stranded rider. Officials said progress was extremely slow as waist-deep snow drifts and jagged ice made travel difficult while visibility remained near zero in whiteout conditions.
First responders directed the rider to move toward the approaching crews, but he encountered open water and was unable to continue. The Coast Guard initially said it could not safely deploy personnel onto the ice.
Crew members aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw then located the rider and maneuvered toward the floating ice where he was stranded. Using rope, the crew was able to pull the snowmobiler aboard the vessel.
The rider was taken to safety and was reported to be in stable condition after receiving medical care. Coast Guard crews also recovered the snowmobile using an onboard crane.
Meanwhile, Mackinac Island firefighters began their return to shore. St. Onge said it took nearly 40 minutes for the crew to walk about 2,000 feet due to the severe weather and hazardous ice conditions.
Officials said the ice surrounding the rider had been rapidly shrinking and credited the presence of the Cutter Mackinaw in the area with preventing a potentially fatal outcome.
The Coast Guard is expected to begin breaking up ice between Mackinac Island and St. Ignace in the coming days as conditions continue to deteriorate.
